Best Friends and Teammates, One in the Same

(Teammates Kate Tobie and Katie Sire from freshman year to senior year at MSU)
Photo by: Kate Tobie

College is scary enough going off to a new school, with new people, and leaving everything you’ve ever known behind. Making friends seems to be the most stressful and hardest part but some people are lucky enough to have a friend as soon as this new journey begins. Seniors and captains of the Montclair State University Women’s Basketball team, Kate Tobie and Katie Sire, have a story just like that.

The two met during Summer League before their freshman year of college began and since then they have been inseparable. The two are not only friends and teammates but roommates as well. Their daily schedule includes waking up, going to class, eating lunch together, practicing together, eating dinner together, hanging out after together, and even going out on the town together. Tobie joked, “Yanno, we’ve thought about having slumber parties but that hasn’t happened yet,” as Sire who was listening cracked up in the background.

The two are known for being a comedy act by their friends, teammates, and family. They bounce so well off each other and will finish each other’s jokes. Their fellow teammate and captain, Domonique Wirsing, said while giggling, “They are so funny all the time. I just laugh even when I think of them because I just picture them doing something hilarious.” So Tobie and Sire may be a powerhouse on the court, comedy tag team off it, but are they a dance duo too? Well, they may not be exactly professionals in that category but it definitely was their favorite story to tell.

As the teammates could barely contain their laughter they talked about the time freshman year they decided to come up with a dance routine. It was during a night of studying for exams, being exhausted from basketball practices, and procrastinating homework. While hanging in the room the song “Work It” by Missy Elliot happened to just play on their computer while listening to music. At first the two just started bobbing their heads and singing along quietly. As the song went on they slowly but surely started to get more into it, jumping up and down dancing along. Before they knew it they were both coming up with a hysterical choreographed dance to the words of the song (most of it is unintelligible). After they were finished they couldn’t just stop there… they needed to show off their hard work. So the two hopped from dorm to dorm to show their teammates their new dance. Suddenly, they were the stars of every ones Snapchat stories and teaching others their goofy masterpiece which involved a lot of gyrating.

The next day when they went to practice Tobie wanted to show her older sister, then senior and captain of the team Melissa Tobie, their dance. In passing, Coach Karin Harvey overheard their conversation. Harvey then demanded to see the dance much to the roommates embarrassment, but of course the two didn’t want to miss the opportunity to make anyone laugh. They showed their coach and it was a hit among everyone. So although they may not be on the next season of “So You Think You Can Dance” they sure were able to put on a memorable performance.

The two were fortunate enough to have formed such a close friendship right when most freshmen are craving it most. They were able to portray how such a strong bond could be positive not only in life but also on the court making them as successful as they are. Tobie and Sire have shared the ups of winning championships but also the downs of heartbreaking loses which brought past seasons to an end. The teammates have been through it all together.

With the legacy these two roommates will be leaving behind they offered advice to their younger teammates, “Enjoy the privilege you have to play on a team like MSU. Don’t rush it and just soak in every minute of it because it’ll be over before you know it.” Both are sad that this will be their last year wearing a MSU uniform, but they are excited about the program’s future. So it may be the end of one journey but they will be able to leave this one and go into another one with a best friend always cheering each other on.

My name's Rachel Brown and I am a current student at Montclair State University. I am a Communications Studies major and will be graduating this upcoming May. You can find me on LinkedIn and any other social media site if you wish to get in contact with me.